Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

Zhang Bao was startled, realizing how he had fallen into Zhang Bao's trap.

That's how the third child died.

Never try to outwit this person; this is a lesson the third brother learned through his own death.

So he decided to change his strategy.

A battle of wits is still better when it comes to intellectual debate.

"Hmph! You, the Son of Heaven, are resorting to such supernatural tricks! The Great Yan Dynasty is truly doomed!"

"Is its fate sealed?"

Chen Shao's tone suddenly shifted, becoming sharp and incisive.

"Our fate is sealed, and I will not use the people as shields!"

"You proclaimed yourself the Earthly General, the earth bears all things and is of great virtue, yet you have done this: you used the people as human shields, binding them to your horse."

"Have you ever seen a dynasty or era where land was irrigated with human blood?"

Zhang Bao sneered and retorted:

"How many people have starved to death in the three hundred years since your Chen family ruled? What right do you have to talk to me about the people?"

"I am qualified."

"Because my era has only just begun."

"And what are you shouting about the death of Heaven? I am right here, I am Heaven, and Heaven is still alive and well, isn't it?"

"You've learned the form of rebellion, but not its spirit; you've narrowed your own path."

"You three brothers, what are you doing with your 'Heavenly Lord, Earthly Lord, and Human Lord' nonsense? If the three elements of Heaven, Earth, and Man are missing benevolence, then you're just crooked."

"Using the banner of acting on behalf of Heaven and using the people as a shield, I give you six words: talentless, immoral, and shameless."

"If you understand, hurry back and tell your elder brother that if you want to rebel, do it fair and square, don't use the common people as scapegoats."

"If they remain obstinate, I might actually like to chop down a few charlatans and perform a blessing ceremony for them."

Zhang Baoxu had never been wronged before, but being scolded like this was too much for him to bear.

I felt a surge of energy rushing up from my dantian, and my throat felt a bit salty.

He gritted his teeth and swallowed the blood that surged up.

Zhang Bao, who has dominated the North for so many years, has always been the one who silenced others with his insults.

Today, however, his face was publicly humiliated by an emperor who was not even twenty years old.

He raised his riding whip, pointed it at the city wall, and roared:

"Chen Shao! No matter how eloquent you are, with my 150,000 troops pressing in today, you are doomed!"

"Ridiculous!" Chen Shao said with a look of disdain.

"You're no match for Taoist principles, and you're even less qualified to be a man of benevolence and righteousness."

"The time is now in my favor. I have just defeated the Northern Barbarians and my morale is high. The terrain is in my favor. The capital is right beneath my feet. The city is high and the moat is deep. The people are still in my favor. You are using the people as human shields, but my soldiers are willing to fight to the death for me."

"You think you can win? Let me give you one more thing."

"Zhang Bao, have you forgotten your mother?"

puff!

A mouthful of blood spurted from Zhang Bao's mouth.

He never imagined that the emperor would have such a foul mouth.

Insulting someone without mentioning their mother—isn't that the kind of quality someone in a high position should have?

He couldn't take being scolded in front of so many people.

He swayed a few times on the horse's back and almost fell off.

The lieutenant next to him rushed over to help him up.

While patting his back to help him catch his breath, she muttered something.

"General, I told you not to be so quick-witted, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what's happened, even my old mother..."

"roll!"

Zhang Jiao shoved his deputy aside.

Raise the peach wood sword high:

"Beat the drums! Attack the city!"

As the bugle sounded, the Yellow Turban army's lines slowly broke apart.

They didn't have many cavalry; out of the 50,000 vanguard troops, there were only about 5,000.

Instead of charging forward, they split into many small teams and galloped wildly among the people on horseback.

Raise the whip to urge the caravan forward.

Anyone who disobeys orders will be immediately lashed with a whip.

One warning, two warnings and you're dead.

The people were terrified by this ruthlessness.

Like a flock of lambs to the slaughter, they stared despairingly at the city walls, moving forward mechanically.

Zhang Bao turned his horse around and shouted to the people:

"Gentlemen, just bear with this for now, and the better days will come."

"The city is full of white flour buns and warm kang beds. Once we take that city, you won't have to eat tree bark anymore, and you won't have to sell your children!"

"This isn't for us; it's about forging a path for yourselves."

"Why is it that they can live a life of luxury in the city, while you can't even afford a simple steamed bun?"

"The world is unjust; the only way to survive is to rise up and fight back!"

This is what Zhang Bao excels at.

To bewitch people.

It was definitely not a verbal battle with Chen Shao.

The city gates were tightly closed.

On the city wall, thousands of bows were already fully drawn, ready to be fired.

They were just waiting for Chen Shao's order.

But Chen Shao hesitated at this moment.

Opening the city gates was obviously impossible, but the question was whether or not to fire the arrows.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

In the still image, only the pitiful procession of civilians slowly inching towards the city wall.

Closer and closer.

The dust kicked up by the huge procession was so thick that it made it hard to open one's eyes.

The people were driven to the city gate, pushing and trampling each other.

The cavalrymen weaved through the crowd, their whips cracking overhead.

"Beg him to open the gate! The one on the city wall is the emperor you farmers have raised up!"

"He is your sovereign and father. In this world, what father would stand by and watch his child die?"

"Shout! How will they open the door if you don't shout!"

The people were whipped until their skin was torn and bleeding, and driven by the cavalry until they could hardly breathe.

The city gates remained tightly shut.

They began to cry out towards the city walls:

"Your Majesty, I beg you, please have mercy and open the door."

"I ask for nothing more than for you to open the door a crack and let my child in!"

"I'm willing to give up my worthless life, please save my child!"

The crowd surged towards the base of the city wall in layers, like a rising tide.

Some people knelt on the ground with their hands clasped together and kowtowed towards the city wall.

His forehead was covered in blood and gore from the impact.

Some women even held the baby above their heads.

The baby's little hands flailed in the air; they didn't know what was happening, they just cried loudly.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject kowtows to you..."

"Holy Emperor, save me!"

The cries, shouts, and kowtows struck the hearts of everyone atop the city wall like hammer blows.

Several young archers, their hands still on their bows, were weeping uncontrollably, tears streaming down their faces.

Chen Shao encountered his first major test since arriving from another world.

It was more desperate than being dragged off the carriage by Chen Yuan and facing the Xuanwu Gate.

What should I do?

This kind of thing, which is rarely seen even in history books, is happening right before our eyes.

From Han Cao to Yuwen Huagu, from Yu Qi'an to Shen Qingci, no one on either side could do anything.

The sky has fallen, but the big one is still standing.

Only Chen Shao can make the decision on this matter.

"His Majesty."

One of the new students stepped forward.

When the Imperial Guards saw that it was Huang Chao, they did not stop him.

Huang Chao appeared beside Chen Shao.

"Your Majesty, there are always deaths in war. We have no choice but to kill them. If we wait any longer, the Yellow Turban army will force them to climb the siege ladders, which will only make things more complicated."